Rowan's Journey
by Ryo-girl
Summary: Rowan Dumas has always been different, but why? When he finally discovers that he is a wizard, how does he react? How does his family? Will they let him attend Hogwarts?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Rowan's Journey

Rating: K+

Summary: Rowan Dumas had always known he's different, but a wizard? And his family isn't too happy with it.

Notes: This story is not my first attempt at a Harry Potter OC fic, but the others had all been deleted, because they were borderline Mary Sue's—a perfect girl with angst, etc. So, I decided to go with a boy, Rowan, who has been in my head for several fandoms. So, this is Rowan's story. ---SPOILER! STOP READING NOTES NOW!---And, yes, I know first years never make the house teams, but I was _dying _to write Quidditch, and knowing me, I possibly won't get to Rowan's second year.----END SPOILER!

Also, I do have the official version of _Quidditch Through The Ages_, but am not interested in plagiarism to the degree of copying all its information, word for word, about Quidditch from it. So, I made up my own passages.

* * *

Richard Dumas was a very successful man. He was one of four children, the only boy, and the youngest to boot. While his sisters flounced around, eyeing boys, Richard, who was among the more handsome of students, studied hard. The girls were all disappointed, as was his father; he wasted his charm and good looks. Richard had inherited his father's huge build, dark hair, and gold eyes. And his eyes were gold; occasionally, they'd grow darker, but most often, there were light gold.

Richard, however, was determined to live his own life, and he saw his father, who worked as a mechanic during the day, drank at night, and did odd jobs on the weekend. His mother, a meek woman, did not question her husband, and allowed him to do as he saw fit with his children.

Richard graduated high school second in his class, and went to school to become a real estate agent. Real estate agents made good money, especially if they started their own businesses, and Richard did, along with a partner from school, Megan Ashwood.

Megan Ashwood had honey-blonde hair and pretty china blue eyes. She was also very smart, with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She graduated two places above Richard in college; he came in fourth.

For three years, their relationship never progressed beyond an occasional lunch together. But, finally, Richard asked Megan out on a date, and, after another two years, they were engaged, and Megan was expecting their first child.

Of course, Richard wasn't entirely sure he was ready; still, with their business booming, they could easily afford a three-bedroom house with a backyard, a small pool, and a white picket fence. They bought the house in Canterbury, where Megan's family lived; Richard didn't have much contact with his own family. His sisters had all married and had children, his mother was slowly going senile, and his father was one drink away from liver failure.

From there, they had four children: Jenna was their first; three years later, Todd was born. Then came Leena, four years after, and three years after that, came Rowan.

Their first three children were perfectly normal. But there was always something different about Rowan. A quiet, intense boy, he made friends easily but had only a few close ones; he was also very odd-looking, in a magnetic way. He had his parents' oddest traits—his mother's leonine build and golden hair, and his father's gold eyes.

Ever since he'd learned to walk and talk, he didn't listen to his parents. It wasn't out of spite—he simply didn't accept their explanations, and had to learn the hard way. He was also very energetic, and thus it was hard to find him a baby-sitter. He had broken his arms once, his left leg once, and sprained both his ankles numerous times.

He did well in certain classes—art and the reading, writing, and spelling classes—but failed most of the others. He was very good at soccer, but refused to play the other sports. All in all, he was a handful.

His siblings liked to tease him about his odd looks and habits all the time; he got it at school, too, and learned to fight well early. The school psychologist saw him regularly all fourth grade, but nothing happened.

And then, two weeks after his May 5th birthday, an owl arrived at his house.

He was sitting at the table at breakfast, listening to his oldest sister, Jenna, prattle on about her newest boyfriend, when his mother made a strangled noise and a huge white bird flew through the kitchen, dropping a letter in front of Rowan and flying off.

Everyone was shocked, but slowly, Rowan broke open the odd wax seal on the letter and opened it.

The letter was written on old paper—parchment—in thick, dark ink. No pen could have written that. At first, Rowan couldn't make sense of it, but once he was done, it made sense:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_Of _WITCHCRAFT _and _WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

Dear Mr. Dumas,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

**_Minerva McGonagall_**

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

As we are aware that you are the child of two Muggles, a phone number has been provided for contact. Please call as soon as possible for more information.

Rowan handed the note to his father, who read it, a scowl forming.

"What is this rubbish?" his father demanded. "School of witchcraft? I won't stand for it! And an _owl_!"

"Richie," his mother said soothingly. "Calm down, please. Why would someone go through this much trouble for a prank? See, there's even a number."

"It's a trick, I say, some sick man thinks he's being funny."

Sighing, Megan herself rose and went to the phone. She dialed the number, and someone picked up, but Rowan paid no attention; his mind was on the letter.

A wizard? He was a wizard? Part of him was excited; finally, something his siblings hadn't done! And it would explain his oddness; he wasn't like his family. He was special.

"Well," Megan said, sitting down. She looked at all of them; her three oldest children were both amused and annoyed. "I got someone. A woman. She says it isn't a joke; and she wants us to meet her in front of a pub in London at noon in two days."

"Absolutely not!" Richard said. "Even _if _I believed this rubbish, I've already enrolled Rowan in school. A good one, too; cost me a lot of money."

"I know, dear," Megan said indulgently. She knew her husband's stubbornness, and the love he had for his children; she also knew how Rowan struggled to fit in, and knew that, perhaps, this school was best for her youngest child.

"Please, dad? Can't we go? Just to see, please?" Rowan begged. He rarely asked for anything, and _never _begged. His siblings looked at him in surprise, and so did his father.

"Well…alright. But mark my words, it's a trick of some sort." Richard finally muttered, deciding to ignore it and eat breakfast, so he could get to work.

"She also wants us to bring the letter, and perhaps $200."

"_What?" _Richard asked, more shocked than annoyed. He was rich; $200 wasn't a lot of money. But why would he need it?

"She said it was to buy school supplies, for Rowan."

"Ah, see!" Todd insisted. "There you go. They want money."

Rowan stayed quiet, his heated gaze resting on his brother. Todd especially loved messing with him, mostly because Rowan was the only other boy, and he could rough him up without worrying too much. Rowan, who was much smaller and slimmer, hated it with a passion.

To make matters worse, none of them except his mother seemed to be taking the letter and phone call seriously. While Rowan was anxious for the day to come, they obviously couldn't have cared less.

_They'll see, _Rowan thought furiously. _It's real. They'll see that I _am _special, not just weird._

_I'll show them all._

* * *

_This was the first chapter. At least one other is complete, as is most of a third. What do you think? Reviews of any kind are welcome, including MISTAKE CORRECTIONS--I am sometimes bad about tenses, and am interested in correcting them._


	2. Chapter 2

The next two days passed with Rowan in knots. He couldn't concentrate on anything, so he retreated outside to practice his soccer kicks. He had good aim, with both his arms and his feet, and told Todd about it whenever he could; Todd was fast and strong, but had poor accuracy.

Finally, the day came. Rowan didn't eat any breakfast, and spent an hour outside with their dog, Rayn. She was a beautiful chocolate lab who was getting on in years, and enjoyed just laying outside in the sun.

"If this is real, baby girl," Rowan muttered. "I won't see you for a few months. Can you imagine, living at your school? It'll be so weird."

Finally, his mother called him into the living room. Jenna, who was taking summer courses, wasn't going to come, but Todd and Leena were. Leena he wasn't too worried about; she was calm and didn't tease him a lot, but Todd…Rowan almost wished for Jenna.

They got into their car and drove in silence, Rowan looking at the buildings they passed. It wasn't too hot today, thank goodness, and people were out strolling, holding hands and laughing.

His father parked away from the pub, and they got out. But, it seemed only Rowan could actually see the building, so he led the way. A tall, slightly pudgy woman was standing in front, sweeping her eyes around, obviously looking for someone. She saw Rowan, and smiled.

"Rowan Dumas? Yes? And you must be Megan. I'm Natalia. It's good to meet you; you sounded lovely on the phone. Now, let's go inside the pub; you Muggles just follow me, okay?"

Richard looked a little miffed, but did as she asked. They didn't stop in the pub; they passed right through, to a wall in the back.

"A dead end?" Todd demanded. "Is this some sort of joke."

"No," Natalia said coolly. She took out a long, thin stick of wood-a _wand_-and tapped a few bricks. Instantly, they morphed, shifting away to reveal an archway.

Rowan caught his breath. This wasn't fake. This was real! He was a wizard! Beyond the arch, shops with odd things crowded together; owls in cages, plants he'd never seen, broomsticks and hats and all sorts of colorful things.

"Now, first things first," Natalia said briskly, leading them to an ice cream shop and seating them all at tables. "The letter wasn't all that specific. That's why I'm here. To explain things, and answer questions."

"First. Hogwarts is a boarding school. Rowan will stay there from September first to end of term. They can come home on Christmas and Easter breaks."

"How will we get in contact with him?" Megan asked worriedly.

"Well, normally, I'd suggest an owl. But, as you're Muggles, you might want to buy one for him and send return notes when he sends you letters. Now, he will have seven regular classes, as well as flying lessons once every few weeks. He cannot bring a broomstick to school unless he gets on the Quidditch team; if he does, we'll tell you, and you can arrange to have one bought here and sent."

"What about money?" Richard asked.

"Ah, yes. Rowan will need an account at Gringott's; we'll take care of that soon. Goblins run the bank; they'll give you and Rowan a key, so you can access the money. The money here is metal money: gold galleons, silver sickles, and Brass knuts. It's seventeen sickles to a galleon, and twenty-nine knuts to a sickle. I would advise that Rowan take some money to school with him, because sometimes they sell treats."

"And his supplies?" Megan asked.

"All of them can be bought here. This year will be the most expensive, because he's got to buy potions kits, a cauldron, brass scales and phials, and, most expensive, a wand. Do you have money problems?"

"No. We're very well off." Richard said.

"Good. Then this won't be a problem. Now, any other questions?"

"Not right now. We don't know enough."

"Right." Natalia rose, and they all followed her to a large white building. It looked like white chocolate, it was so white, but it was made of marble. Its doors were huge, and there was a poem Rowan instantly liked on the door.

Inside, it looked like a normal bank, except that, at the stations where humans normally sat, short, severe-looking creatures sat, quills in their sharp-nailed hands.

Natalia headed towards the left, where, surprisingly, a human sat. She took Richard up there, and the others hung back, staring in awe at the goblins. The intelligence glinting in their eyes shocked them.

After a few minutes, Natalia motioned Rowan forward. He came, and the human inspected him.

"Right, well, this is all in order. $2,000 from your account, yes, Mr. Dumas? Right, well, okay. Go and see Griphook, he'll set you right."

They followed Natalia again, this time over to a goblin, who looked up briefly, finished his ledger, and said,

"Yes?"

"We need to open an account, for Rowan Dumas, please."

The goblin murmured and called another goblin over, and said,

"You have the paperwork? Let me see it…$2,000 will be transferred into the vault as you go; it will be there when you go." He got two keys from below him, and handed them to Natalia. "Vault 303. Jalson will take you."

A goblin came over, looked, and said,

"Three only, please." Richard and Natalia decided that they were going to go; they followed the tiny creature to an odd cart, and Rowan realized that they were going to go on a roller coaster ride down into the lower levels.

It wasn't nearly as fun as Rowan thought it would be; the walls flying by, the occasional flashed of light, and the rocking of the cart made him nauseous and light-headed. He heard Natalia say something to his father about dragons being guardians, and curses on the vaults, but didn't pay attention. The cart stopped, and Rowan scrambled out frantically.

Natalia followed the little goblin over to a large, metal door. The goblin took the small golden key out of his pocket, moved aside a thick, metal circle, and opened the door. An audible click was loud, and the door swung open. The doors were huge, but the vault itself was not.

Inside it, resting at arm-level, was a large pile of gold, silver, and bronze coins. Natalia took out a medium-sized leather pouch and began stuffing coins in, handfuls at a time. When she stopped, took the key from the goblin and dropped it in, the goblin touched the door and closed it.

Natalia put the key in the pouch, tied it securely, and handed it to Rowan. It was rather heavy, so he stuck it in his jacket. Unfortunately, they got back into the cart, and Rowan held on for dear life as they passed more flame.

When they stumbled outside, all on shaky legs, their mother asked what happened. They all shook their heads, not well enough to answer yet. Then, Natalia asked,

"Rowan, you have your list? Let's see it, then."

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_Of _WITCHCRAFT _and _WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar.)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings.)

One potions kit, complete with potions ingredients

Parchment, quills, and ink bottles.

Please note that all students' clothes should have name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _by Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them _by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection _by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

"We can get all this here, but it'll probably take a couple of hours, at least." Natalia said. "We should probably start down at the end, so we can end up near the exit when we finish."

"May I have a look around?" Leena asked. "I'd rather see things on my own."

Natalia looked hard at her, until Richard said,

"I'll go with her. I'd like to have a look around, myself."

So, it was only Todd and his mother who went with them, down to the end. It wasn't that long of a walk, since Gringott's was right in the middle. They passed all sorts of shops, most of which he would need to go into.

That meant that the first place they would need to go was Ollivander's, a wand shop. It was rather dingy-looking, especially since Rowan was expecting something grand. It was rather dark inside, too, considering how bright and sunny it was outside. Only a single chair rested on the other side of the counter; behind it, hundreds of slim boxes were stacked on shelves.

"May I help you?" the soft voice floated through the darkness, making Rowan jump. They all turned to see a thin, reedy old man with pale, misty eyes come out from behind the stacks.

"We're here for a wand, Mr. Ollivander," Natalia said politely. Mr. Ollivander made a noise deep in his throat, looked at them, and said,

"Ah, yes, Miss Krycek. Yes, ten inches, rather stiff, wasn't it?"

Natalia blushed. "Yes, sir. With a phoenix feather core."

"Mm-hmm…now, I presume _you _need one, young man?" Mr. Ollivander nodded to Rowan, who nodded back.

"Let's see, then, shall we?" He disappeared into the stacks once again, and emerged with one of the boxes.

"Hazelwood. 10 ¼ inches, dragon's heartstring. Wave it." Rowan did, hesitantly, but Ollivander took it out of his hand immediately.

"No, no. Try this. Ebony, phoenix feather core, 12 inches." Once again, nothing happened. Ollivander retreated father back into the stacks, and came back out with two boxes. The first wand was made of mahogany, with a unicorn hair core, 9 ½ inches. That one didn't do anything for him.

The last one was cedar, 11 inches, with a unicorn hair core as well. The second he touched it, his stomach felt as if he'd gone over a small hill very fast, and he caught his breath. He waved it, and red and gold sparks flared instantly, fading from sight after a moment or two.

"Yes, I think so. A good wand for Charms, that one." Ollivander nodded again, smiling winningly. "Now, that'll be 7 galleons, please."

_Seven? I wonder how much that is equal to in Muggle money. _So he asked Natalia, once they'd left.

"Oh, about fifty-one dollars. But the books will be even more expensive, because you have to buy so many."

Was that expensive? Rowan couldn't tell. He looked at the other shops he passed-one was obviously a joke shop, another a second-hand robe shop, and still another animal shop. But they didn't do in, and passed Gringott's again.

Natalia led them to a robe shop, Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions. It was a pretty shop, occupied by a motherly, thick-set woman who urged him to stand on a stool and hold his arms out. Measuring tapes flew to him and began to measure, and another witch began to pin his robes.

After ten minutes, Madam Malkin handed him a wrapped package. She also pointed to the gloves, which he tried on before buying. While Rowan paid the 6 galleons, 9 sickles that it cost, his mother asked all sorts of questions about Hogwarts, which Natalia answered, and then they left the shop, heading for the next one, which happened to be Flourish and Blott's.

Rowan had been eager to go there; he liked books, and wanted to explore that store a bit, before they left. He asked Natalia if he could, and she nodded and said she'd pick up his schoolbooks.

The shop looked much smaller than it actually was; there were two floors, and shelves covered every wall. The books were all different; some looked very old, some had pages coming out, some had titles in other languages, and some were even blank. The covers were paper, cardboard, silk, and even some kind of animal skin.

While he wandered, he came across a deep purple book called _Richard the Lion-Heart_, a book about King Richard, who he was doubly interested in. Another one, this one a royal blue, was blank; he picked up both, and kept wandering. A row full of green books caught his eye; the gold title, _Quidditch Through The Ages_, winked at him, and he pulled one out.

It was a very attractive green color, with a wide gold strip going crosswise across the middle. Resting on the strip was a golden circle. Inside it were two broomsticks crossing each other and four balls in between the spaces the brooms created. The ball in the top space had white wings.

This was the book Natalia had told him to buy. It wasn't big or heavy, but he enjoyed the color scheme a lot. He added that one, too, and went to the front, where Natalia was just placing all the books on the counter in front of a young shopkeeper. There was another book up there, a thick green one, and when he asked, Natalia told him it was _Hogwarts,A History. _

"That'll be all? Yes?" the shopkeeper looked at each book and said,

"That'll be 10 galleons, 15 sickles, please."

Rowan handed him the money, and Natalia gave Todd most of the books to carry, since they were rather heavy. Thankfully, they'd been given a bag, but still, their hands were getting rather full.

Right next door was a stationary shop. Natalia explained that the wizarding world didn't use Muggle paper and pens; instead, they used parchment, ink, and quills. So, they bought a rather large pack of parchment, a bundle of sharp quills, and several bottles of ink. Rowan noticed that some of the inks in the store changed colors, and some of the bottles had ink that was labeled 'invisible.' But Natalia said that his professors wouldn't accept any assignments written in such ink.

That cost them a total of 1 galleon, 5 sickles. Rowan worried about how he'd be able to write with quills; they were different from pens, and had to be dipped in ink every once in awhile. Plus, he couldn't write cursive at all; his writing was too messy, and he preferred to use print.

Beside that shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies shone. Its color scheme presented mostly gold, and the broomsticks in the window attracted a crowd. One read 'Firebolt' while another read 'Starshine'. He asked Natalia which was better.

"Well, honestly, they're about the same. The Firebolt is a little older; it came out maybe three years ago. The Starshine came out last year. They cost about the same, but were made by rival companies. You could get whichever you wanted, really, and it wouldn't make a difference. Except, of course, that the Starshine has the star on the handle."

Rowan nodded, saying, "I think I'd much prefer the Starshine. I dunno why…I just like it better."

"I would, too," Natalia said. "The Firebolt's great, but the Starshine…it has a different vibe. Now, we have to go to the Apothecary, and then the cauldron shop, and then we're done."

"Thank god," Rowan and Todd muttered at the same time. Rowan shot Todd a half smile, and Todd returned it. Rowan could remember, back when he was four or five, when he and Todd had never argued; his big brother could do no wrong, and Rowan had always clambered after him, always wanted to do what he did. But, as he got older, Rowan and Todd started fighting…it was just how things went with siblings, sometimes.

The last was the Apothecary, Slug and Jigger's. It had a horrid smell-rotted cabbages and bad eggs-but the inside was so interesting, he quickly forgot it. The wall was lined with bright powders, dried herbs, and jars of slimy, floating things. Rowan really liked the claws, feathers, and fangs hanging from the ceiling.

Natalia told him he could look around, so he did. He half-listened to her buy what she referred to as a 'potions kit' while he waded his way through people. Several things caught his eye: behind a glass case, a puddle of green goo rested…only the goo had a face, eyes, and was trying to bite the bottle it had come out of. It was rather cute, actually. The bottle read Bundimun Ooze. The thing he liked most, however, rested high atop a shelf, in a dark corner. A crescent moon-shaped bottle was tucked away, its silver white contents glowing like moon rays. The card in front of it read 'Moonseed Potion.'

But before he could ask about it, Natalia was handing him a heavy, medium-sized leather case and a thick package-the one containing the phials and telescope-and herding him out.

"That there cost 4 galleons, 9 sickles, since you seem to be keeping track."

Rowan blushed. He was just trying to make out how much this cost, and how it evened out into Muggle money. Natalia didn't notice his blush.

"That place always stinks! You'd think they'd have done something about it." Rowan almost asked about the Moonseed Potion, but decided not to. They had left the shop, anyway, and he was exhausted.

"One more to go!" Natalia called, and Megan smiled widely at her. Natalia was very easy to like; kind, polite, helpful…and goodness knew they would need her help in the following years, understanding and coping with what Rowan was.

Across the street from the Apothecary was the cauldron shop. It was small shop, filled with dingy cauldrons. The paper said he'd need a standard size two pewter cauldron, so they got that and quickly left, since the shop was too small to accommodate the crowd of people inside it. That cost 2 galleons, even.

"Now, are you going to buy him an owl?" Natalia asked. They had gone to Eyelops Owl Emporium, and were looking at the owls. Megan considered things for a moment, and then nodded.

"We need to stay in contact. You told me there are owls at Hogwarts, but still…I'd feel better if he had his own."

"Alright. Do you see one you like, Rowan?"

Rowan looked at all the owls. There were white ones, brown ones, and even gray ones. Some were big and some were small. Some were energetic, some were sleepy, and some looked very forbidding.

He saw a smaller, slimmer one looking at him with keen eyes, and said,

"I want this one."

"A tawny? Okay." Natalia got the shopkeeper and the man took the owl gently, slipping it into a cage. The shopkeeper told him that it was a boy, and cost 5 galleons. Rowan gave the cage to his mother, paid, and left, taking the cage back.

Finally, they were finished. So, the total of their day came to 37 galleons, 4 sickles. His leather bag was considerably lighter, but there were still five galleons, 15 sickles, and a lot of knuts left. He didn't know what he could possibly use it later, but the thought that, once he got to school, there would be wizarding things to buy, excited him.

Richard and Leena were waiting at the ice cream parlor, deep in a conversation about Leena's college choices. Rowan wasn't surprised; his father probably hadn't even gone into any of the shops. They both looked serious, and it was easy to tell that they were related.

"We're finished, Richie," Megan said pleasantly, sitting down and putting the potions kit, which she held, down onto the table. Todd put the books down on the seat next to him, and they thudded audibly. Natalia asked them what kind of ice cream they wanted as a treat, and it appeared on the table in front of them. Everyone except Natalia jumped in shock.

The ice cream was good, though. Richard looked up at Natalia and asked,

"So, when does he have to get on the train?"

"September first, from King's Cross. The train leaves at eleven exactly. The platform is 9 ¾, and before you ask, you have to go through the archway in between platforms nine and ten. Don't worry; you'll see other wizards doing it. Muggles ignore it; even if they see it, they write it off."

By then, they had all finished their ice creams. They all rose, grabbed a bag-or, in Megan's case, a cage-and followed Natalia out through the pub they had come in. Now, Rowan read its name-the Leaky Cauldron. Fitting.

"All right. That's pretty much it." Natalia said, turning to them and smiling. Rowan liked her a lot; he felt normal around her. Everyone else did, too; he could tell from the way they acted around her. Jenna might have liked her, too; he really didn't know.

"Remember, term starts on September first. Be at King's Cross _before eleven_. The train doesn't wait."

"Thank you, Natalia," Rowan said, smiling at her. She smiled back, shook his father's hand, and turned away, walking towards one of the Muggle music shops. Rowan and his family turned back towards their car, put their purchases in the trunk-except for the cage-and started driving home.

"So…what do you think?" Rowan offered. There was silence for awhile, and then, his father said,

"Well, it seems alright, I suppose. I'm not happy about this, Rowan," he added severely. "But your mother thinks it's best. Maybe it is; we'll see. If you can't keep out of trouble this year, I swear, I'll bring you home and enroll you in a Catholic school. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," he muttered, any good feelings towards his father vanishing. Why did it always have to be a contest? He never just said anything; it had to come with warnings attached.

Why can't we be like him and Todd, or him and Leena? What's so different between us?

He honestly didn't know.


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I re-uploaded the second chapter, mainly to add Rowan buying _Hogwarts, A History_. When I posted chapter 2, I'd already written the first seven or so paragraphs of this (basically, all of _Hogwarts, A History_ and _Quidditch Through The Ages_.) So, here's chapter three! Once again, any mistake corrections are welcome. PS—If you have read my other stories, you know that I bend towards slash—m/m. While I sincerely doubt I'll be writing anything of that nature yet—Rowan's only eleven—if I managed to stick with it through his later years, it might come up. Any opinions on that? (I could try to write him with a girl, but it would probably suck. I could even NOT do romance at all, but that would definitely limit ideas).

* * *

Once they got home, Rowan took his new things up into his room, so he could look at it. The owl's cage was set gently in the window, the books and potions kit sprawled across his bed, the clothes and wand on his desk, and the large package containing the Rowan opened the leather case Natalia had given him. Inside, there were tiny jars of herbs, bundles of fangs, and a pouch full of stones. The bottles were labeled with names like 'boomslang skin' 'aconite' and 'dittany'. The fangs belonged to snakes, the stones were 'bezoars' and there was a powder he hadn't noticed before that came from an octopus.

He realized he was probably going to be mixing those things, and planned to look them up in one of his new books, but he was more interested in other things, like the copy of _Hogwarts, A History _he'd bought. It was a very, very thick book, and while the pages themselves were new, the book gave off an air of being old.

He flipped through it quickly, ignoring the moving pictures, until he got to the current information about the school. He read about the 'Houses' first:

_There are four houses in Hogwarts, and each has its own history. There are also certain traits a House is known for._

_Gryffindor is the first House. Founded by Godric Gryffindor, this House is known for courage and chivalry…the House's current ghost is Sir Nikolas de Mimsy-Porpington, also referred to as "Nearly Headless Nick." Gryffindor House is often favored because its students tend to shine above others in ability, personality, and pure heart. The House colors are red and gold, and its animal is the lion._

_Slytherin House was founded by Salazar Slytherin, who accepted only sly students willing to do anything to get what they wanted. He also tried to only accept pure-bloods…this disagreement caused Slytherin to leave the school. However, he left a chamber called the Chamber of Secrets deep within Hogwarts' depths, and within the Chamber waited a basilisk. Harry Potter slew it, and the Chamber was later sealed off. Slytherin's colors are silver and green, its ghost is the Bloody Baron, and its animal is a serpent._

_The Ravenclaw House was founded by Rowena Ravenclaw, a very smart witch who accepted the smartest, quickest students. That House's grades tend to be above the other House's. The current House ghost is the Grey Lady. Its colors are blue and bronze, and its animal is an eagle. _

_The last House is Hufflepuff, founded by Helga Hufflepuff. That House favors honest, hard-working students. Helga Hufflepuff did not seem to have any preference for students beyond that. The current House ghost is the Fat Friar, and its animal is a badger. Its colors are yellow and black._

There also other interesting parts, like the a paragraph on the ceiling…

_The ceiling above the Great Hall is enchanted to look like the sky outside; it's cloudy when it rains, shows starts on clear nights, and shines during the day. Thankfully, it only _shows _the weather outside; students are perfectly dry even on the stormiest of days. It is said to be at its most beautiful on winter nights, when even space is visible in it._

In the end, he was glad he'd bought it; now, at least he knew what to expect when he got there. The classes had been outlined, the basic layout of the castle explained, and the book even had a few pages on what kind of weather to expect.

Then, he looked through _Quidditch Through The Ages_. As soon as he started reading, he knew he'd like it more than any other sport, except maybe soccer. The book explained the entire game, and he was especially interested in the broomstick models and the actual play of Quidditch itself…

_The Quaffle is the ball used to score. It is red, covered in leather, and charmed to stick to a player's hands. It is scarlet, and charmed to fall slowly, so that players don't have to retrieve it from the ground. It is passed between players and then put through the hoops at the end of the pitch._

_The Bludgers are the most dangerous balls. There are always two. They are charmed to go after players without cease, and while they do not focus on one player, they can do a lot of damage. They are beaten away from players by bats, and are made of iron._

_The golden Snitch is arguably the most important ball. Very small and fast, its gold color makes it very difficult to see. It flits around the pitch, doing its best not to be caught. When captured, it is worth 150 points, and ends the game once captured. _

Then, there was the section on actual Quidditch players.

_There are seven players on a team. There's one Keeper, who guards the goalposts. There is one Seeker, who tries to catch the Snitch before the other team's Seeker. There are two Beaters, who protect their teammates from the Bludgers by hitting them at the other team. There are three Chasers who handle the Quaffle and try to put it in the hoops._

_Typically, Seekers are the best fliers; light and fast, they are most often fouled. Keepers are typically very deft and have quick reflexes. Beaters, which tend to be males, are strong and have a strong sense of balance. Chasers have to have quick reflexes, good aim, and be able to use teamwork. They are usually talented fliers, as well, since they often have to use dives to avoid other players._

Then, finally, he got to the section on broomsticks, after all the history sections. He learned all about the older brooms, how they had added Braking Charms and Cushioning Charms, and how the Nimbus Company had revolutionized the industry.

Then, he got to the paragraphs on the Firebolt and Starshine.

_The Firebolt came out in 1993, and was well-met by the entire wizarding world. Favored by every professional team who could afford them, they responded to even the slightest touch, and its Charms were the most advanced ever seen. For three years, it reigned supreme on the market; even the Cleansweep II, which came out a year before the Starshine, was outclassed._

_The Starshine was equal to the Firebolt in every way, and was just as successful, because of its lower cost and attractive features. They are all made of mahogany, and each twig, like the Firebolt's, was specially selected. Both can accelerate to 150 MPH in ten seconds._

That made up his mind. If he ever got a broom, he'd want a Starshine. It just appealed to him more. The book had a picture of the broom-shockingly, all the pictures moved-and he looked at it for a long time, then put the book away and got food and water for his owl, whom he hadn't named yet.

"What should I call you, hmm?" he murmured to it. It looked at him with its intelligent eyes, and he thought for awhile.

Once, he'd had a dog named Bowen. It had been a mutt, too mixed to tell anything, but he had loved it dearly. Then, they'd moved to a different house, and his parents didn't want a dog. So, he'd had to give him up, to his best friend, Curtis Wilkins. He'd never forget the look in his dog's eyes when he started driving away.

"How about Bo?" he murmured. "I like that." The owl hooted, and Rowan stroked his feathers gently.

It was three days until he had to leave. He was exhausted, and though he wanted to start packing, he knew it wasn't a good idea to do it that night; he'd forget things, and as his parents didn't have an owl, he'd have to wait for Bo to make the journey here and back.

So, after a tense dinner, he showered and went to bed, leaving the window and cage open for Bo.

* * *

The next morning, his grandmother came out. Rowan liked her a lot; she always brought presents or money, and stopped by often enough that she knew more about Rowan beyond that he was a "problem child."

He was the last downstairs, as he'd slept in late. His grandmother, Anna, was a thin, small woman, whose hair was totally gray, even though she was only perhaps fifty four or so.

"Rowan!" she cried when she saw him, hugging him hard. He hugged her back and smiled genuinely at her. "I came as soon as I heard! And it's not a hoax, then?"

"No, grandma," Rowan said, sighing exasperatedly. But she was just teasing him, and they both knew it. He followed her outside onto the back porch, where his siblings were already swimming in the pool, hoping to cool off.

"Well, then. So, tell me about this school. What do you know about it? Is it a good school, hmm? Does it deserve your attendance?"

So, with his parents listening, he told her everything he'd read, about the houses, the ceilings, the common rooms and dormitories, the classes…and she listened without interruption.

"Well…it sounds alright. A bit odd, yes, but then, I suppose it's normal to wizards. So, when does term start?"

"September first. I have to be at King's Cross before eleven. That's when the train leaves."

"That's two days away, isn't it? Well, how about some shopping?" Anna asked eagerly, her wide hazel eyes shining in anticipation.

"I already got all my stuff—" Rowan started, but Anna interrupted him.

"No, no. I meant _clothes_, Rowan. You can wear normal clothes there?"

"Um, yeah. On the weekends and holidays." Rowan remembered.

"Good, good!" Anna beamed. She loved shopping, and Rowan suddenly wished he'd though to call her when they went to Diagon Alley.

"You can come with me to Diagon Alley next year, to get my stuff." He said, and Anna beamed happily, no doubt already putting money aside for it mentally.

"Perfect! Now, shall we go? Richard, Megan, do you mind? A little celebratory clothes shopping always hits the spot!"

Anna was Megan's mother, and Richard was looking at her like she was nuts. But Megan nodded yes, and Anna pulled Rowan along behind her, planning their whole day aloud.

Rowan didn't particularly enjoy clothes shopping; he preferred jeans and T-shirts, and was happy to just buy those. His grandmother, however, had a real sense of style, and a pocketbook big enough to accommodate it.

They ended up visiting perhaps five stores. The first two were fancier places, where they only sold name-brand clothes. Anna tried to get him into fancier things—silk shirts, leather jackets, and he ended up buying one of each—but, by the time the day was done, he had four pairs of blue jeans, six shirts—two blues, a red, and three white—and a new pair of Vans sneakers, black and white.

She also bought him a jean jacket, a new wallet, and, for some reason, two packs of socks. When he insisted he had some, she ignored him and bought them, saying he'd need them.

Then, bags in hand, they went for lunch. A high-end burger place, where you had to _ask _for cheddar cheese, because the burgers came with Swiss cheese. They left the bags in the trunk, and went inside.

"So, are you excited?" Anna asked, finally serious. Rowan, who had just ordered, paused.

"Yeah, I am. I mean, this sounds…_right_ to me, you know? At least, maybe there, I won't be so odd."

"Maybe not," Anna acknowledged. They were quiet for a moment, and then she said, "Part of it has to do with your looks, you know. Not many people are blessed with gold eyes."

"Yeah, I'm blessed, all right," Rowan muttered. "My hair's normal enough, though."

"Mmhmmm…" Anna said thoughtfully. "You know what you look like?"

"A little lion cub?" Rowan asked. That was always her nickname for him, especially since even Leena's hair, which was a dirty-blonde, was darker than his.

"Yes!" Anna said, smiling. "You'll be a strong boy when you grow up. You're already handsome."

Rowan flushed. He'd had compliments before, of course, but he'd never really paid attention to them. Before, he had been too young; then, he hadn't known how to respond.

Their food arrived, they ate quietly for a few minutes. Then, Anna said,

"This school sounds good for you. I don't know if whatever it is that makes you different is the same thing that makes you a wizard, but maybe you'll feel more relaxed there."

"I hope so. Anyway, thanks for taking me shopping," Rowan grinned. "I had fun."

"Me, too. We should do it more often." Then, she started asking about his siblings, his parents, and his grades at his old school.

They paid for their lunch, but instead of going home, Anna took him to the bookstore in the mall. While Rowan loved to read, he went through books so fast his parents felt it better if he check them out from the library.

She left Rowan to wander around while she went to pick up books about the _Atkins Diet,_ so Rowan wandered over to the Fiction sections first. His eyes passed over the titles—most of them science fiction—and stopped on one—_Fire From Heaven_. The title interested him, and he picked it up.

It was a book about Alexander The Great by Mary Renault. He'd read her book _The Mask of Apollo_, so he decided to try that one, too. He continued on, ignoring the Japanese comics he passed, for though he liked them, he read them too fast to really enjoy them.

He found _Wolves of the Dawn _by William Sarabande. It was about a time called the Age Of Bronze, before even the English country had established itself. He loved books like that, where a group of people was settling down, so he decided to buy that, too. _Bard, _a similar story, joined it, too.

Anna came to get him by then, and they paid for their books—a truly outrageous $52.73, 35 of which was the _Atkins_ books—before leaving. Rowan noticed that the sun was going down, so Anna drove him home, telling him all about her last boyfriend, who had, apparently, thought she was rich. When she'd revealed that she had money, but that she used it for shopping only, he had left her, howling with laughter at the enraged look on his face.

Personally, Rowan didn't think it was funny.

Anna came inside, but only for a few minutes; she was going to play bingo and 'pick up guys' she explained, to Megan's horror. Anna left laughing, as usual, and Megan looked at all of Rowan's purchases.

"How'd she manage to get you to buy this?" Megan asked, surprised, holding up the leather jacket. Rowan shrugged and said he'd been trying on jeans at them time, and she had tossed it over the door at him, so it landed on his head. He'd put it on, and she'd added it with the other clothes that fit.

"Try it on for me," Megan asked, so Rowan did, pulling on his new, low-cut jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket. When he came back downstairs, his mother let out a sort of half-squeal, and hugged him hard.

"You look so _handsome_!" she gushed, and Rowan looked at her like she was nuts. He had worn jeans and white shirts before; what did the leather jacket do for him? But, still, she insisted on showing his father.

Richard looked, for lack of a better word, stunned. He looked at him for a long time, but then nodded his head approvingly.

"It looks good on you. Very gentlemanly. It was a good idea, leather; Anna certainly knows fashion…even if she hasn't got an ounce of common sense in her."

Rowan was speechless; to cover it, he went into the living room, picked up the bags, and went upstairs. Bo was sitting in the cage, looking a little indignant that he hadn't been there all day. Rowan gave him more food and water and spent a good ten minutes petting and talking to him. He seemed mollified after that; he hooted approvingly when Rowan closed the window.

The room had become chilly, but it wasn't too bad. Rowan turned on his TV and relaxed onto his bed, giving his aching legs a chance to relax. An hour later, he went down for dinner, still dressed in his new clothes; he'd gotten absorbed into a crime show, one of many that he didn't know the names to.

His siblings didn't hide their surprise well; they kept casting long glances at his clothes. He could see jealousy in Todd's eyes; to Todd, Rowan had always been their grandmother's favorite, and the expensive gifts Rowan always received only convinced him more.

"Have you packed yet, Rowan?" his mother asked. Rowan shook his head no and explained,

"I was too tired last night, and I was just relaxing after grandma and I got back. I figured I'd do it tomorrow."

Richard gave him a disapproving look, but didn't say anything. Rowan picked at his spaghetti, dipping garlic bread into the sauce and listening to his mother's lively chatter.

After he washed the dishes—it was his turn—he showered again, just to get him farther into the night. Then, after leaving Bo's cage and the window open, he went to bed.

* * *

He woke up late the next day; his parents and siblings were all off at work or school, so he had the house to himself. Bo wasn't back yet; Rowan didn't know when he'd left, but he was probably going to bring back a mouse or squirrel or something gross he'd have to clean up.

He had all sorts of frozen breakfast foods to choose from, so he toasted some cinnamon waffles—he loved those—and took them upstairs, sans syrup. Then, he opened his closet door and hauled out his trunk. It, like three of his other drawers, was filled with books; he dumped them out back into the closet and opened the trunk.

It looked like there was a lot more to put in than there actually was; his new clothes, robes, gloves, and cloak went in, followed closely by his cauldron. Then, the books went in; half of them went into the cauldron, to save space. The new books went in, too. The parchment, quills, ink bottles, and potion kit were all stacked under the scales, phials, and telescope.

By then, the trunk was full almost to bursting. He closed it and locked it, glancing around for anything he'd forgotten. He put Bo's cage down onto the trunk, next to his leather money bag.

He spent the rest of the day wasting time, looking through his things to see if there was anything he wanted to take, and swimming. He told his parents when he got home that he'd packed, and then spent the rest of the day absorbing TV shows. There were a few he loved, and he'd be missing a whole season. He'd see them all next summer, of course, but that wasn't the same.

When night fell, his parents went out and bought Chinese food, his favorite; the family actually spent a pleasant night together, eating orange chicken and chow mien and laughing.

Richard urged everyone to get to bed early, so they did. Bo had brought back a mouse, just as Rowan knew he would, so he closed the window and the cage. He didn't go to sleep right away—it was too early—but flipped on his radio, listening absently while he drifted off.

* * *

His parents woke him at nine the next morning. He let Bo out to stretch his wings, and stumbled downstairs. His mother had fixed a large breakfast—eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, milk—so they spent awhile trying to eat it. Then, Rowan went upstairs to shower. He hadn't decided what to wear yet, so he just put on his normal clothes, jeans and a shirt. He ran a hand through his short hair, which was short enough that it didn't hand into his eyes but long enough to spike, found socks and shoes, and put them on.

Richard hauled his trunk down into the car while Rowan carried Bo; the owl had returned without food, thankfully. He sat the cage next to him on the seat, and they drove through traffic all the way to King's Cross.

When they got there, Todd grabbed a trolley. Richard and Rowan loaded the trunk onto it, and placed Bo's cage on top of that. Then, Megan began to look for other people who looked…odd.

It was a few minutes before they saw anyone: a tall, blonde-haired man and a blonde boy were loitering in between platforms nine and ten. Rowan approached them and said quietly,

"Um…Hogwarts?"

The blonde man turned to him and said kindly,

"Yep. You, too? First time?"

"Umm…yeah." Rowan said. "How do we get through?"

"Just watch us. I'm Daniel Dmytro, by the way; this is my son, Alexei." His accent shone through then; _Alexei _was a Russian name. But Rowan didn't ask.

"Alexei, go first." Daniel nodded. Alexei grabbed hold of his own trolley and started forward, heading straight towards the brick. When he got there, however, he simply went through it.

Daniel looked at Richard. "You next. I'll come last, make sure everyone gets in alright."

"Thank you," Richard said. He nodded to Rowan's three siblings, who went in cautiously; then his mother; then Rowan himself.

Rowan's stomach flipped, and he pushed the trolley forward slowly, finally gaining speed only when a foot from the wall; he entered without a problem, though, and stared at the scene in front of him.

Hundreds of kids, some already dressed in robes, were there; trunks with owls, rats, and frogs on top waited; older witches and wizards were wishing their children goodbye.

And, in the center of all the commotion, a big scarlet train waited, puffing smoke and shining grandly in the light.

The Hogwarts express.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Nothing bad in this chapter, but it is very long (8 pages.) I have a feeling there's some inconsistencies with the earlier chapters, so if you find mistakes, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Rowan turned to his parents, and his mother hugged him tightly. His siblings hugged him, too, although Todd tried to break his back in the process. His father watched, looking vaguely uncomfortable, and said,

"Well, Rowan…er, have a good term. I think…you'll like it there." That was a lot, coming from his father, so Rowan smiled and shook the hand his father offered.

Nearby, Alexei and his father were also saying goodbye, much more warmly than Rowan and his own father. Rowan heard Daniel say a name, "Sasha," and he was sure he referred to Alexei, but before he could ask, they were ushered on board.

"Bye!" their families called as they leaned out the windows and waved to them. Then, the huge train started forward, deafening Rowan when it finally got going properly.

"Come on," Alexei said to him, backing away from the windows. "Let's find a compartment. I don't want to stand the whole trip."

Rowan looked at him closely for the first time; Alexei was a little taller than he was, and his hair was a very rich blonde. His eyes were a dark gray, almost like ice, with bluish hints, and, much to Rowan's shock, there was a diamond stud in one of his ears.

Alexei motioned to him again, and Rowan followed him, glancing into compartments as they passed them. He saw all sorts of kids: older ones, all of whom were a lot taller, and younger ones, all with identical expressions of fear and excitement on their faces.

Most compartments were full of kids already, but finally, in the middle, they found one with two other boys in it. Alexei asked if they could go in, and the two boys nodded agreeably.

"I'm Alexei Dymtrov---call me Alex, or Lexi, whichever---and this is Rowan Dumas. We're first years." Lexi said.

"Us, too," the red-haired boy said. His eyes were blue. "I'm Brian O'Connor. My older brother goes here."

"And I'm Gabriel Lane. Call me Bree. I have a sister who's already graduated. How about you?"

"I'm an only child," Lexi said. "And Rowan's Muggle-born."

"Really?" Brian asked eagerly, "This must be so weird for you! How did your family take it?"

"My dad wasn't too happy, but everyone else was okay, I guess. I figured they'd just get used to it."

"Probably," Bree said placidly. He had very dark hair and very green eyes. They were a very dark green, almost brown in some lights.

"What years are your siblings?"

"My brother is in his sixth year," Brian said. "Gryffindor."

"My sisters are both in Hufflepuff," Gabriel said. "They're both above fifth year."

"I have three siblings," Rowan offered. "All older. Jenna's graduated school already, and Todd has only a few years left. Leena's closest to me; she's only three years older."

"Like I said before, I'm an only child," Lexi said. "But I have an uncle who practically lives with my father and me."

"Sometimes, I wish I was an only child," Gabriel said wistfully. Rowan wasn't sure if he wanted to be an only child, too, but sometimes…it would be nice to be one of one, instead of one of four.

"I like having a brother," Brian offered. "He's five years older, so we don't really fight much. I'm hoping that we get put into the same house."

"I think I'll go into Gryffindor." Bree said.

"Didn't you say your sisters are in Hufflepuff? I thought that families usually went into the same houses." Rowan asked curiously.

"Not always. Even twins are separated sometimes," Brian said.

"And besides," Bree added, "My father was in Gryffindor, and so was my uncle; the males in my family usually go into Gryffindor."

"Ah." Rowan said. There was a lull in conversation, and a polite knock came on the compartment door. Lexi got up and pulled the door open, and a friendly-looking woman smiled at them warmly. She was pushing a golden trolley filled with all sorts of candies, none of which Rowan had ever seen before.

"Anything from the trolley?"

"What is it?" Rowan asked curiously, peering over Lexi's shoulder curiously.

"This is the best wizard candy in the world—Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands…here, why don't we buy a bit of everything? It'll keep us entertained until we get there."

"A bit of everything is eleven sickles, seven knuts," the woman said. All four boys pitched in, since all of them planned on sharing the huge heap of candy, and then sat down, the large pile between them.

"Be careful with the Beans, Rowan," Lexi warned. "They've got all sorts of flavors—normal ones, and then gross ones, like vomit, grass, dirt…I usually don't eat them, because it's really not worth it."

Rowan hid a grin and put aside a handful, saying,

"I'm going to eat all of those, no matter what flavor. But first, I want to get a look at these Frogs."

The Chocolate Frogs were easily the most interesting candy, at least for Rowan. The packages were easy to open, but one had to be prepared, because the frogs leapt out at the first opportunity, and they had only one good job in them. Rowan liked the cards, too; he was a collector by nature, and having another thing to collect made him happy.

They all split the chocolate frogs, so he ended up with four cards: Circe, Ptolemy, Paracelsus, and Merlin. The pictures on them, much to his surprise, moved in and out of their frames, smiling and waving out at them.

"That's so weird," Rowan muttered. "Pictures aren't supposed to move."

"They do here," Lexi said. "Do you have any Muggle pictures?"

Rowan's wallet was still in his jeans pocket. He had a library card, some movie stubs, and two pictures: one with his family, and one of his dog, Bowen. He handed them to the others, and this time, it was Bree who muttered,

"So weird." They handed the pictures back, and Lexi said,

"It must be almost three by now. We've got another few hours, at least, before we get to Hogsmeade."

"That's the village across the lake from Hogwarts, right?"

"Yep. Colin says you just have to take a boat across the lake. There'll be someone there."

Rowan went pale. "I can't swim."

"Why not?"

"I went on a field trip in kindergarten—I was, like, five. We went onto one of those huge cruise ships, I can't remember the name. They showed us the whole thing, top to bottom, but all I can remember is them taking us underneath. They had a metal gangplank suspended from one end to the other, like, thirty feet above this huge pool of water. The water was lit up, so you could see everything—there was a fake diver opening a chest of treasure. That freaked me out, 'cause the thing was _chained _down to the bottom. And then, they tried to take us across the gangplank, and all I could think was 'the screws are gonna come out, it'll fall, and we're all gonna drown.' One of the attendants had to carry me across, and after that, I stayed away from water."

"…you have a very active imagination." Brian noted. Rowan shrugged. The memory didn't scare him too much now, but he still hated water, and had never learned to swim properly.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I can swim," Bree said. "My parents have a pool, and it gets so hot in the summer, I go in all the time."

The conversation turned to pools, swimming lessons, and on to various other things as the sky darkened; Rowan was quickly growing antsy, and he could tell everyone else was, too; more and more often, kids came down the halls, peered into windows, or went to find someone who knew what time it was.

Then, an announcement came, for everyone to put on their robes. Excitement tingled through the train; Rowan changed quickly and joined the others, looking out the window.

It was dark out, but still, they could clearly see the large castle: it was the most beautiful building he'd ever seen. It was very big, as well, and seemed to be situated on top of a mountain. Lights glittered in its many windows, illumination the many towers that rose from it.

"It's bigger than I thought," Brian said. "How will we ever _find _anything?"

"That helps, Brian, thank you," Rowan muttered. "As if I wasn't nervous enough."

The other kids didn't look much better; some looked downright terrified, while others looked as if they shouldn't have eaten any of the candy off the trolley. The train lurched to a stop, and everyone filtered to the front.

There, a giant of a man was yelling for first years. They all filtered to him, and Rowan saw that there were quiet a few—perhaps forty altogether, dressed in identical robes. The big man showed them to some boats that rested on the banks of the black river, and they all piled in, four to a boat, and they started off. Rowan stared at the castle the whole time, knuckles white from the strain of holding onto the boat's side.

The ride was far too long, and Rowan scrambled out the second they touched the ground. The big man led them up a flight of stone steps and they all paused, nervously, in front of a great oak door. The man knocked, and the door swung open.

A thin, severe-looking witch with black hair took them in, and then, she spoke,

"Follow me." The group followed her inside, into what had to be an entrance hall. Torches lined the walls, illuminating the great stone stairs. The woman led them to a small room, and started to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin soon, but before you can take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will be like your family, and your triumphs and failures will earn or lose you points. You will spend most of your time with your houses—you will go to classes with them, sleep in the same dormitory, and spend free time in the common rooms with them."

"There are four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house has its own noble history, and has put out extraordinary wizards and witches. The ceremony will take place in a few minutes. Wait here."

Rowan turned to Lexi and whispered,

"Why do I get the feeling she doesn't like Slytherin?"

"She's head of Gryffindor; Slytherin and Gryffindor are practically enemy houses."

"Ah. What about the other houses?"

"My brother says that no really likes Slytherin; the other three houses associate well, though."

"I'd hate to be put in Slytherin. Can you imagine having a whole school hate you?" Rowan muttered.

"Most of them deserve it." Gabriel noted, but before he could say more, the witch returned.

"Follow me."

They entered a hall filled with other students. A table was situated at the other side of the hall, and it was filled with adults—teachers, probably. There were also four long tables in the room. Candles hovered over them, and he noted that each table sported a color—red, green, yellow, or blue. The farthest on the left was green, then blue, yellow, and red.

They were probably houses, Rowan reflected, following behind Lexi. The witch lined them up, and all forty of them huddled together, united if for only a minute.

Rowan could feel the gazes of the older kids on all of them; some of them, he knew, were on him because of his odd coloring, but for once, he didn't feel out-of-place. He wasn't the only one the other kids were looking at, and that felt pretty good.

Then, the Sorting began. Rowan was shocked to discover that the hat sang, and some of the others were, too. It was interesting, and Rowan had the absurd thought that it would go on until the end of term and he wouldn't have to put it on.

The song ended, though, and Professor McGonagall started reading names off the list.

'Atwater, Jack' became the first Gryffindor, followed by 'Ayan, Emily' who became a Hufflepuff. The list went on rather quickly after that, until suddenly, it was Lexi's turn.

"Dmytro, Alexei!" The blonde boy went up rather confidently, considering. The hat was placed over his ears, and the hat was quiet for a moment before it shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rowan watched as Lexi made his way towards a table full of waving kids, and then, he heard his own name: "Dumas, Rowan!"

Rowan waded through two rows of kids and made his way to the stool, doing his best to breathe deeply and not faint. He sat down facing the sea of kids, but they were only visible for a second before the hat descended on his ears.

Ahh…a little of everything in you, I see. Ambition, courage, cleverness…not Hufflepuff, you like to put things off, don't you?...hm…well, then, I guess it better be--

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat came off and Rowan headed towards the table Lexi sat at, grinning in relief that at least one of his friends was in his house. Then, he remembered that he wanted to ask Lexi about his name.

Rowan took a seat right next to Lexi, who smiled at him, obviously relieved that they were in the same House.

"Hey, what's up with your name? The list says you're 'Alexei and your dad called you Sasha--"

"In Russia," Lexi said softly, "There are two forms of the name Alexander--Aleksandr, and Alexei. But, instead of the short form of it being 'Alex' or 'Xander,' like here, the short form is Sasha. Of course, that's used intimately; friends, family, lovers, etc."

"So, what do I call you?" Rowan asked curiously.

"Lexi or Sasha is fine. Do you have a nickname?"

"Not one I want used in public."

"Oh, come on," Lexi coaxed. "By American standards, 'Sasha' is a girl's name. Yours can't be that bad."

"Alright. My grandmother used to call me _sion_ when I was little. She's Irish, and it's Gaelic for lion, 'cause of my coloring."

"And you're in Gryffindor?"

"My brother will never let it go."

The Sorting went on, and both he and Lexi listened eagerly when "Lane, Gabriel!" was called.

Much to their shock, the hat shouted,

"RAVENCLAW!"

They had expected that maybe they wouldn't be in the same House, but they had all been hoping. Bree looked at them regretfully before joining the table next to theirs. Rowan and Lexi were quiet for a moment, but then, they began to talk. They chatted easily, partly watching the sorting, but it wasn't long before, "O'Connor, Brian!" was called.

They waited nervously, half expecting it to yell out "RAVENCLAW!" again. But, almost as soon as it touched his head, it yelled,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ten seconds later, Brian joined them, smiling happily and looking elated.

"That's four generations of Gryffindors!" he said happily. "My parents wouldn't have cared, but still, this'll please them."

They didn't know anyone else after that, so they talked the whole time. In the end, it came out like this:

In the end, each House gained ten students, five girls and five boys. Gryffindor also got five girls who huddled together and two other boys, Jack Atwater, a boy with dark hair and startlingly gray eyes, and Brooklyn Beckham, a smaller boy with pale blonde hair and crystal-blue eyes.

The Headmaster stood, and the noisy hall went quiet. The man looked very nice; with a ridiculously long beard, and warm blue eyes behind half-moon glasses. Rowan had a feeling that many people went to him with their problems.

"Now, there are a few announcements to make before we eat. The forest on the edge of the grounds is forbidden to all, as there are things in there that no human would survive meeting. Also, the third floor corridor has been abandoned, and is thus forbidden, as it would be dangerous to go there. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, would like me to remind you that everything sold at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes is illegal, as are most of the items sold at Zonko's. A full list is available in his office. The village of Hogsmeade is off-limits to all below third year. Now, that being said...Tuck in!"

Then, the Headmaster clapped his hands, and food appeared on the large metal plates that rested in the middle of the tables. There was everything anyone could want: chicken, roast beef, pork and lamb chops, fries, peas, steak, potatoes, all sorts of breads and cheese...there were several kinds of drinks as well, some he'd never had before, like pumpkin juice. That tasted very good, and he was already full by the time desert came.

When it seemed everyone was done, Dumbledore clapped his hands again, and the food disappeared, leaving clean plates and goblets.

"Now, a few more notices: Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Contact Madam Hooch for details, please. Off to bed with you! Sleep, and may your dreams be full of peppermint humbugs!"

_Peppermint humbugs? Is he joking? _Rowan wondered. He followed the rest of the Ravenclaws out into the Great Hall, where they briefly merged with the Gryffindors. Rowan remembered that both the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors resided in towers, while the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs lived in much lower levels.

"Classes start tomorrow, right?"

"Yep. We have to be up early, if we want breakfast; classes start at nine." Brian said, looking very put-out. "I love summers, mostly because I get to sleep as much as I want! I come to school, and I have to wake up."

Rowan hid a smile, and stopped with the rest of the kids as they came to a painting. It was of a woman, dressed in a very pretty dress. She was rather big, though, and Rowan realized that she must be the Fat Lady, the portrait who guarded Gryffindor tower.

"Password?"

"Gesundheit," the Head Boy, Ricky Delacrote, said with great dignity. The portrait swung open, and the whole House filed in, the first years following Ricky to stand in front of the fireplace.

"This is the common room. Everyone can be in here at anytime, although we do ask that you be courteous; house points will be taken if you cause trouble or wake someone up. Now, the boys' dormitory is upstairs and to the left, girls, the same to your right. Your things are there already, and I would advise that you go to bed; morning will come early, believe me."

Lexi was the first up the stairs, but Rowan got caught farther back. He went in to find Lexi already dressed in pajamas and Brian without shirt on. All of them were too tired to really talk, so Rowan just changed into pajamas, got into bed, and pulled the curtains shut.


End file.
